Social Interactions

ʿImrān b. Ḥusayn (raḍiy Allāhu ‘anhu) said: “A man came to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and said: ‘Peace be upon you.’ He responded and then he sat down. The Prophet ﷺ said: ‘Ten.’ Then another came and said: ‘Peace be upon you and the mercy of Allah.’ He responded to him and he sat down. The Prophet ﷺ said: ‘Twenty.’ Then another came and said: ‘Peace be upon you and the mercy and blessings of Allah.’ He responded to him and he sat down. The Prophet ﷺ said: ‘Thirty.’” (Abū Dāwūd 5195)

Abdullāh b. ʿAmr b. ʿĀṣ (raḍiy Allāhu ‘anhu) reported that a man asked the Messenger of Allah ﷺ: “Which part of Islam is the best?” He replied: “That you feed people and greet those whom you know and those whom you don’t know.” (Bukhārī 12)

Abū Hurayrah (raḍiy Allāhu ‘anhu) narrated that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: “Allah created Adam in His form, and his height was sixty cubits. When He had created Adam, He told him: ‘Go and greet that group of angels who are sitting down, and listen to what they greet you with; for that will be your greeting and the greeting of your progeny.’ He said: ‘Peace be upon you.’ They said: ‘And upon you be peace and the mercy of Allah.’ They added ‘the mercy of Allah.’” (Bukhārī 3326)

Barā’ b. ʿĀzib (raḍiy Allāhu ‘anhu) related that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ instructed seven things: visit the sick, follow the funeral processions, respond when someone sneezes, help the weak, assist the oppressed, extend greetings and fulfil vows. (Bukhārī 1239)

Abū Hurayrah (raḍiy Allāhu ‘anhu) reported that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: “You will not enter Paradise until you have true faith, and you will not have true faith until you love one another. Shall I not show you a thing which, if you did, would cause you to love one another? Exchange greetings amongst yourselves.” (Muslim 54)

ʿAbdullāh b. Salām (raḍiy Allāhu ‘anhu) narrated: “I heard the Messenger of Allah ﷺ say: ‘O people, exchange greetings, feed people, maintain family ties and perform salah while others are sleeping, and you will enter the Paradise of your Lord in peace.” (Tirmidhī 2487)

Isḥāq b. ʿAbdullāh b. Abī Talḥa (raḥimahullāh) related that Ṭufayl b. Ubayy b. Kaʿb (raḥimahullāh) told him that he used to go to the house of ʿAbdullāh b. ʿUmar (radiy Allāhū ‘anhumā) and go with him to the market. ʿAbdullāh did not pass by any ragman, merchant, poor man or anybody else without greeting him. Ṭufayl said: “I came to Abdullāh b. ʿUmar one day and he followed me to the market. I asked him: ‘What do you do in the market, as you do not stop for any merchandise, or ask any price, or bargain, or sit in the gatherings of the market?’ He replied: ‘I say: “Sit with us, let’s talk.’” Ibn ʿUmar (radiy Allāhū ‘anhumā) told me: ‘O Abū Baṭan’, ‘we only come for the greeting. We greet everyone we meet.’” (Muwaṭṭā)